Octopus' Garden
by Fujiko Kuwabara
Summary: While on "vacation", Jigen meets a pretty young woman who has a strange little secret. As he tries to convince Lupin, Fujiko and Goemon to believe him, Jigen begins to wonder if he just made her up and he truly is going insane. Rated for language. Enjoy!:
1. Chapter 1

Okay,s o I know I've got two other stories that I need to update and finish but this just came to me today after watching a scene from a play in my acting class. So, I just took the concept of the play and came up with this. If anybody even likes this AND REVIEWS IT (that would be nice, but no pressure!:P) then I'll update it. If not, then i'll just delete it and redo it after I'm done with my two other Yu Yu Hakusho stories. Ha ha ha - Enjoy!:D

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Jigen grumbled as he left the hotel room he was sharing with Goemon and made his way to the elevator. He jabbed at the down button with a finger then shoved his hands into his pockets, waiting impatiently.

Lupin had booked two conjoining rooms in the expensive upstate hotel – one for him and Fujiko, one for Jigen and Goemon – one with one bed, the other with two. It was supposed to be sort of like a vacation.

"Think of it as a mini . . . almost vacation type thing," Lupin had said, grinning as he attempted to snuggle up to Fujiko. "C'mon, you guys, it'll be fun!"

"Fun, my ass." Jigen mumbled as the elevators brass doors opened.

When they had arrived at the hotel hours earlier, the concierge in the lobby informed them that a wedding ceremony had been held in the conference room of the hotel and that the hotel was almost booked up completely, complaining about the reception and giant after party that was supposed to go on for the rest of the weekend.

Lupin had looked at them, that wide grin on his face.

"Isn't this great, you guys?" He asked. "We can party the whole time we're here!"

"By 'we', you mean 'you and Fujiko'." Jigen had mumbled, his eyes hidden under his hat like always.

Lupin had made a face and turned to Fujiko, putting an arm around her as the four checked in.

Jigen had been right; as soon as they were settled into their rooms, Lupin had ditched him and Goemon and had snuck into the wedding reception with Fujiko with a lie about them being distant cousins of the groom. Jigen could hear the drunken whoops, shouts and laughs from the end of the hallway on their floor. Goemon had, like always, made himself at home by sitting cross-legged in the corner of the room in a deep meditation. Not wanting to bother him and not wanting to be completely bored out of his skull, Jigen left to find something – anything- to do.

And here he was now, riding down to the lobby in the glass elevator of the hotel, watching all the happy drunk partying couples and guests from the wedding run, stumble or trip up and down the halls on every floor of the hotel. He let out a disgusted groan as he saw Lupin hanging on Fujiko, pawing at her like always as she giggled and tried to push him away. Jigen quickly stepped out of the elevator and left the hotel, shoving his hands into his pants pockets.

He walked as far away from the hotel as he could, trying to escape the awful sound of disco songs playing and the bright lights of the hotel. He kicked a rock for a while, meandering on. He looked up once to see that he had made it about six and a half miles away from the hotel, their lights shining bright like a beacon in the distance. He turned away from the hotel to see a sparkling lake in a block away from him. He noticed a park bench far off and shrugged, making his way to it.

He plopped himself down and looked around before taking a flask out of the inside pocket of his jacket. He unscrewed the cap and tilted his head back, gulping down most of the flask's contents. He made a face and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He screwed the cap back on then put it away then crossed his arms over his chest.

"Damn it, Lupin." He mumbled angrily, glowering at the lake. "Some fucking vacation."

He blinked, hearing and seeing something splash far off in the lake. Thinking nothing of it, he went back to his frustrated wallowing until a minute later he heard a woman singing from across the lake. He looked up to see a nude woman singing _in_ the lake. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he got to his feet quickly. It was freezing outside and this woman was swimming naked in a disgusting lake full of duck feces and garbage and (possibly) dead bodies?

"Hey!" Jigen called to her. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Get outta there!"

The woman seemed to ignore Jigen, continuing her song and swimming half the length of the lake. She disappeared underwater and didn't resurface. Jigen stared at the spot where the woman had been.

"Stupid drunk bitch, she's gonna drown out there!" He said to himself, kicking his shoes off. "She shoulda just stayed with her stupid friends at that stupid wedding instead of wandering off and going out for a stupid late night swim!"

He took his socks off and angrily shoved them into his shoes. He shrugged his jacket off then rolled his pant legs up as far as they could go then began to slowly wade in the water, trying to get to where the woman had suddenly appeared. He shivered, his teeth chattering.

"What're you doing out here, you crazy bitch?" He shouted at her, stopping to wrap his arms over his body in an attempt to keep warm. "You're gonna get hypothermia and die!"

The woman just laughed and disappeared underwater, splashing up water. Jigen gasped and stared wide-eyed at what he had just seen. He must have drank too much or his eyes were messing with him or he was finally going insane; there was no possible or logical way that what he had seen had been –

"A mermaid." He said softly. "A fucking mermaid."

"That's right!" A cheerful voice from behind said.

Jigen spun around to see the woman who had been swimming and gasped again, seeing her up close. She had long dark reddish hair that fell in her face, pale skin and a dark purple fin. Yes, a fin. Jigen shook his head then rubbed his face as if trying to get rid of the illusion he thought his mind was playing on him. He removed his hands to still see the young woman in front of him, smiling. She giggled.

"Hi." She said, wiggling her fingers in a small wave.

"I never thought I'd ever say this . . . but I've had way too much to drink."

"Why do you say that, silly?" She laughed, swimming around him slowly in a taunting playful way.

"Because I'm imagining a mermaid and mermaids ain't real."

"Oh, yes, we do. You're not imagining anything."

"Okay, Ariel." He joked, making his way out of the lake. "I've had enough of this messed up little game."

"My name's not Ariel." The mermaid said, her voice still cheerful but her smile gone. "It's Raquel."

Jigen couldn't help but let out a condescending laugh.

"Raquel the Mermaid, of course! You must be the famous _cousin_ of Ariel the Little Mermaid! How is she, by the way? Still married to Prince What's-his-face, Eric?"

"I don't know what's worse." Raquel said, putting her arms around her bare chest. "You not taking me seriously or your knowledge of Disney movies."

Jigen stopped and turned back to stare at her. He watched her fin flip absent-mindedly, the smile on her face playfully. She cocked her head to the side, her smiling widening. He couldn't help but blush. He pulled the brim of his hat down lower to keep his eyes covered.

"This girl a friend of mine is screwing has a thing for mermaids." He mumbled, turning away.

"Oh, how lovely!" Raquel exclaimed, floating on her back and flipping her fin. "I would love to meet her, you should bring her by!"

"Bring her by, sure! Yeah, I'll do just that! And I'll her to call the people from the nuthouse and tell them to bring me a nice white straight jacket, extra large!"

"You're a very sarcastic person." She said, sitting up and flipping her long hair behind her shoulders. "I love sarcasm, you're cute."

Jigen fought against blushing, his lips pursing and becoming almost nonexistent. She smiled at him and flicked some water at him, giggling.

"Will you come back tomorrow night? I do like talking to you."

Jigen was silent for a moment. This woman – no, mermaid – seemed so young and naïve and sweet, charming and entrancing and hypnotizing. She was extremely beautiful that he would have felt bad if he had said 'no' to her. No other woman had had that effect on him. He smirked at her from under his hat, pushing it up a little by the brim.

"Sure, I'll be here."

"Good!"

She threw her arms around him in a tight hug that left his shirt damp. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before disappearing underwater and swimming away. Jigen shivered then quickly got out of the water. He bunched his socks up into a tight ball and shoved it into his jacket pocket, shoving his feet into his shoes. He snatched his jacket up from the park bench and pulled it on in a quick jerky movement. He shivered once more from a new cold sensation on his left pectoral. He opened the inside pocket to see that his flask had broken in half, whiskey drenching his jacket.

"Cheep piece of shit." He mumbled.

He looked back at the lake one more time, wondering if he imagined the whole thing and he really had drank too much. He turned back and began his walk back to the hotel.

People stared at him, whispering comments about his wet clothes and the overwhelming smell of Jack Daniels emanating off of him as he made his way to the glass elevator. The ride back up to the room was long and everything seemed to move and spin. He stumbled out of the elevator when the doors opened and clumsily made his way to his room, a hand on the wall to keep him balanced. He took the key from his pocket and slid the card down through the lock. He walked in to see Goemon sitting on the edge of the bed, watching some crappy marathon of a sorry excuse of a reality television show.

"_Slap me, whore!_" The black woman shouted at the blonde woman right before the blonde woman spit at her.

Goemon quickly changed the channel, noticing Jigen standing there.

"Where have you been?" Goemon asked, turning his attention to him.

"Out." Jigen grunted back, kicking his shoes off again and peeling off his jacket.

Goemon sniffed and made a face before muting the television.

"Have you been drinking?" He asked.

"Not much." Jigen grunted, a smirk on his face as he headed to the bathroom.

"Where did you go?" Goemon asked, picking the remote up to turning the volume back up.

"Did you know that New York got her own show after she was kicked off the second season of _Flavor of Love_? It was almost as bad of a train wreck as Flavor Flav's show." Jigen stated, the smirk on his face widening as he looked back at Goemon. "Oh, shit. Did I just ruin that for you?"

Goemon closed his eyes, a frustrated look on his face.

"Yes, you did." He said slowly and sternly before opening his eyes again. "Go take your shower, you drunk idiot."

"Oh, love you too, Goemon." Jigen joked, disappearing into the bathroom to take a nice long hot shower.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, so here's chapter two. I don't know about this anymore, I really like the idea buuuuut I dunno!:P I just get the feeling that this chapter is going to be a bad one and I'm just really busy with school and updating my other stories and I've got these other ideas for new stories and - ABLAH! Just let me know what you think of this, 'kay?;) Enjoy, lovelies! :D

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Jigen pulled the shower curtain back and stepped out of the tub into the steamy bathroom, whistling a song he hadn't heard for years.

He wrapped the towel around his waist then put his hat on his head. He glanced at himself in the steamed up mirror, thinking about ridiculous he looked in just a towel and his fedora and wondering how that song had just popped into his head. He shrugged then opened the bathroom door, wondering if Goemon was still awake.

The room was dark except for the bluish glow of the television, still playing the marathon of "_Flavor of Love"_ and "_Flavor of Love 2_". Some girl had just been kicked off for being a porn star and having naked pictures of herself on the Internet. Goemon sat up in his bed, watching with wide eyes and an open mouth. Jigen swore that he could see drool starting to spill from his friend's mouth as he stared hypnotized by the television.

"Hey, what're you still doing up?" Jigen asked, shaking Goemon from his trance.

Goemon jumped and shook his head before turning to Jigen. He wiped his mouth with a hand, a slight blush on his face.

"I was about to go to bed." He said softly. "You look ridiculous in just a towel and your hat."

"Oh, shut up." Jigen mumbled, turning his back to Goemon to get his pajamas from his suitcase. "Who just got kicked off in this episode?"

"Toastee." Goemon said; Jigen could hear the excitement in his voice. "She lied to Flav and said she had never done porn and – what're you snickering about?"

"Nothing, nothing." Jigen smirked, snatching up his pajamas and going back to the bathroom. "Go back to watching your ridiculous show."

"You asked about it." Goemon mumbled as the bathroom door closed.

Jigen appeared again a few minutes later in his pajamas, smelling like toothpaste. He got into his bed and put his hat on the bedside table. He rolled over and faced the wall, closing his eyes tightly as he pulled the blankets up to his chin and wrapped himself up.

"Could you turn that shit down a little?" He asked, opening one eye. "I'd like to get some sleep."

Goemon didn't say anything but did what Jigen told him. A few minutes later, Goemon turned the television off and Jigen could hear him getting comfortable in his own bed, adjusting the blankets and fluffing his pillows. Jigen could also hear the song he had been whistling earlier when he had gotten out of the shower playing in the room next to his and Goemon's – Lupin's room.

He let out a frustrated growl, hearing the bedsprings in the other room creak and squeak.

"Oh, Fujiko." He heard Lupin say softly.

Jigen buried his head under his pillow, clamping the side of his pillow to his ears to block out the disgusting sound of his friend and that whore next door. He heard Goemon say something and lifted the pressure of his hands from his pillow, lifting it up to look over at Goemon.

"What?" He croaked at the other man.

"I said that he's not even with Fujiko. She ditched him about an hour before you came back, she left with some other man to his room."

"Yeah, that sounds like her." Jigen mumbled.

"She left with the groom." Goemon smirked in the dark of the room.

"Oh, ouch." Jigen snickered.

"Yeah, and Lupin's with the bride."

The two began laughing about what would possibly happen the next morning; the four couples – Lupin and the bride, Fujiko and the groom – waking up hung over and not knowing what happened, the newlyweds feeling extremely guilty for cheating on each other on their wedding night.

"Hey, Goemon." Jigen said a moment after their laughter had died down.

"Yeah?"

Jigen was silent for another moment then rolled onto his back, his hands behind his head.

"Nothing, never mind." He mumbled. "It's really dumb."

"Oh. All right."

Jigen didn't the sound of Goemon rolling over and begin to snore. He stared up towards the ceiling in the dark.

"It's just that . . . I don't know if I imagined this or what . . . well, yeah, let's just say I met this _girl_ who was swimming in this freezing cold lake tonight. She lives there, I'm sure, in the lake. She's . . ." He sighed, closing his eyes. "She's a mermaid. And I think she wants to meet you guys."

Jigen was quiet, listening for Goemon's reaction. Goemon let out a loud snort then pulled the blankets up to his chin and resumed his soft snoring. Jigen let out a disappointed sigh then rolled over and went to sleep.

The next morning, he woke up late to the sound of someone knocking at the door. He sat up to see Goemon, fully dressed in his usual outfit, padding over to the door and opening it. He reached over and put his fedora on his head.

"Room service!" Jigen heard Lupin chuckle. "Morning, Goemon!"

Lupin entered, pushing a cart with breakfast food on it, Fujiko following in after him. She stopped to look at herself in the mirrored closet, fluffing her hair and pouting her lips. To Jigen's disappointed, the two didn't seem hung over at all.

"Good morning, Jigen!" Lupin grinned widely at his friend, chuckling.

"Morning." Jigen mumbled, his tone flat and emotionless.

"Good morning, you two." Fujiko said to them over her shoulder, flashing her reflection a smile.

"Good morning." Goemon said courteously.

"Bitch." Jigen said curtly under his breath.

"Asshole." Fujiko shot back, making her hair cover a hickey Lupin had given her the night before.

"I'm not the one with monkey bites all over my neck, looking like a purple leper."

"The correct word is _leopard_, Jigen." Fujiko snapped, finally turning and focusing all of her attention on Jigen with her hands on her hips in a huff. "It's _leopard_, not _leper_."

"Well, to me, you look like a leper. Always have, always will."

Fujiko let out a little gasp then turned to Lupin, giving him a sexy pouting look. Lupin smiled sweetly at her then turned to glare at Jigen.

"Jigen, stop being so rude to Fujiko." He said, hopping over to her and putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him. "She looks beautiful today. Doesn't she?"

Jigen glared at Lupin from under his hat. There was no way in _hell_ that he was going to say that Fujiko looked beautiful that day. Lupin glared back, his lips pursing. Jigen sighed and turned his head away.

"Are those muffins?" He asked, changing the subject.

He got up and snatched one off the breakfast cart then sat down on the edge of his bed. He unfolded the wrapping from it and began to eat it from the bottom up, tearing off pieces of it and popping them into his mouth. He always saved the muffin tops for last.

"Yeah, I thought I'd order room service for breakfast and we'd all eat together and be like a happy little family but I guess that's not gonna happen." Lupin said, flopping down onto Goemon's bed and picking up the remote. "Anything interesting on?"

"No." Jigen said right as Goemon and Fujiko had said 'Yes', their voices louder than his, leaving him left unheard.

"Like what?" Lupin asked, turning the television on. "Any Saturday morning cartoons on?"

"Lupin, it's Wednesday." Fujiko rolled her eyes, taking a seat next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Still, there could be some cartoons on." He gave her a sideways glance and put an arm around her waist, keeping her close.

Jigen got up and grabbed a napkin then folded the muffin top up in the napkin before putting it back down on the breakfast cart. He grabbed a pair of clean clothes from his suitcase and disappeared into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He started a hot shower and stripped then got in. He tossed his hat over the bar of the shower curtain, pulling the curtain back to see it land on the dark green marbled counter of the sink. He smirked to himself, letting go of the shower curtain.

He kept thinking of Raquel, of how he was sure he had imagined her. He shook his head, letting the hot water wet his hair. He was certain that he had indeed drunk way too much the night before. But she had hugged him – tightly, as if he were an old friend – and had kissed him on the cheek. He wondered if he should just stroll on out to the lake and see if she was there, after his shower. He had a mental debate for a few minutes before turning the water off, getting out and getting dressed.

He left the bathroom, placing his fedora on his towel-dried hair. He stopped short when he saw Fujiko nibbling at a blueberry muffin top, eyes glued to the television.

"My muffin!" Jigen exclaimed.

"What?" Fujiko asked, wiping the crumbs from her face. "I thought you were done eating it."

"You stupid little –" Jigen stopped himself before he had a chance to call her a few choice names. "I'm going for a walk."

He slammed the door behind him before anyone else in the room could say anything to him. He left the hotel in a hurried huff, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. He stopped by a small store he hadn't noticed the night before to buy a pack of cigarettes and a cheap disposable lighter (since he had left his beloved Zippo in his room). He plucked a cigarette from the pack and put it to his lips, his movements automatic as he continued on his way. He shielded his cigarette from the ice wind with his hands, lighting it. His eyebrows furrowed as he took a long drag, his body suddenly relaxing as the nicotine filled his body and made him feel slightly lightheaded. He sighed, a small smile on his face.

He sat down on the park bench and looked around, taking in his surroundings. Tall bare trees, browning leaves scattered in a circle around their roots, surrounded the lake. The calm water was a dark aquamarine color; it looked dead, as if nothing had or ever would live or swim in it. There weren't any birds flying over or ducks swimming; not even a ripple of water. The whole scene seemed terribly eerie. Far off, Jigen could hear a gaggle of Canadian geese honking as they continued their airborne journey to wherever they were going.

"Bah," He mumbled. "This place is dead. There's no way that a mermaid could live in this dump. That settles it then, I made her up in my own semi-drunken stupor."

"Oh, I love it when you use big words."

Jigen started, placing his feet firmly on the ground as he looked around to find the body that the voice belonged to.

"Over here, silly!"

He turned to see Raquel attempting to climb onto a rock at the edge of the lake, holding onto a long gnarled root of a tree next to her for support. When she was situated, she flashed him a cheerful and reassuring smile and waved him over. Cautiously, he got up and slowly made his way over to her, his hands in his pockets. She made a face at the cigarette at his lips.

"Disgusting." She said softly. "Smoking is a terrible habit."

"It keeps me sane." He shrugged. "Well, it used to."

"You still don't believe I'm real, do you?" She sighed, flipping her long dark auburn hair over her shoulder.

Jigen blushed slightly and turned away, averting his eyes away from her bare chest.

"Don't you mermaids usually have starfish or clamshells or something to cover your dirty pillows?"

"That's the censored version of mermaids," Raquel said in a carefree tone, flipping her fin and making ripples in the water. "Apparently, being naked is wrong."

"How do you even know about that stuff?"

"Hm?" She looked up at him.

"Disney's The Little Mermaid, censorship, sarcasm. I mean – really."

"What?" She cocked her head to the side, her smile playful. "Do you think all mermaids are as dumb and innocent as my 'cousin' Ariel?"

She leaned over and patted the rock next to her, her hand leaving a wet spot.

"Come, sit next to me."

Jigen hesitantly sat down on the rock next to hers, grunting as he did. He swore he had heard his knees pop. He shook his head and wondered if he was getting old.

"People used to come here." Raquel said softly, her eyes scanning the haunting water she called her home. "Young couples, mothers and their little children, poets, writers. This used to be a peaceful, beautiful place."

"Well, hey, it's winter." Jigen said, attempting to cheer her up. "When spring comes, more people will show up."

"No." She said softly, hanging her head. "Nobody ever comes by anymore. The young couples have split, the mothers have died, the children have grown up, the poets and writers have lost their spark."

Jigen sat marveled by her words, everything she said seemed to sound so poetic and colorful (even though, depressing) as if she were reading a story to a child. Slowly, before he realized what he was doing, he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him in a one-armed hug. She put her arms around his torso, hugging him back as she began to sob.

"I'm all alone." She said a moment after she had settled down and stopped crying. "It's so sad. I used to sit here, right here, and talk to little girls that played make believe and thought they were princesses or fairies or mermaids like me."

Jigen smiled to himself at the thought of little girls running towards Raquel as she sat on her rock. He moved the hair away from her face, an action that had surprised her and made her jump. She turned to him, her eyes wide with surprise and concern. He leaned closer to her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She smiled at him when they parted, her face cheerful again. She tossed her arms around him and pulled him into the water.

"Whoa!"

"Swim with me!" She laughed, taking his hat from his head and putting it on her own. The hat, too big for her head, covered her eyes. Jigen snatched it from her, a playful smirk on his face.

"Listen, you maybe a pretty mermaid but there's no way in hell I'm gonna swim in this nasty water or let you wear my hat."

"The water's not nasty, you jerk." She said, splashing at him.

Jigen laughed and splashed her back before getting out of the water. He shivered and looked back at her.

"You . . . you can't, like, transform into a human or anything, can you?"

"No." Raquel smiled, shaking her head and swimming besides him as he began to walk back towards the bench. "Is that a problem?"

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes on the dirt path he was walking on. He then shook his head and gave her a small smile.

"No, I was just thinking."

"Oh. About what?"

"Nothing." He said softly.

"When do I get to meet your friends?" She asked after a minute of silence, causing Jigen to stop. "I would love to meet the one who loves mermaids."

He looked at her, at first unsure of what to say.

"Yeah, I'll bring 'em by in a few days."

"Really?" Raquel gasped, her face lighting up.

"Yeah, sure."

"Will you come back later?"

"Yeah, sure." He repeated.

"I'll be waiting!" She said in a singsong voice as he walked off.

The next few days, Jigen left early in the morning before anybody else was awake to visit her and didn't return back to his room until late at night. Knowing that Lupin was preoccupied with Fujiko and the weeklong wedding after-party with free drinks, free food and loose women and Goemon didn't care either way if he was left alone or not, Jigen spent as much time as he could with Raquel. Sometimes, he'd bring a muffin or a croissant or something and split it with her.

"When am I going to meet your friends?" She asked; her arms folded on the edge of the lake by Jigen's feet as he sat at the bench.

"You sound like an obsessive girlfriend." Jigen mumbled, smirking at her from underneath his hat.

"And you sound like a grumpy old man." She splashed at him. "Are you ashamed of me?"

"What?"

"You know, because I'm a mermaid." She shrugged. "Because I'm not a real woman, you can't take me places and show me off."

"Show you off?" Jigen scoffed. "You act like you're a prized racehorse or something."

"Well, if you had a beautiful lady like me hanging on your arm, wouldn't you want to show her off?"

Jigen was quiet for a moment. He crossed his legs, thinking.

"You're making me sound like Lupin."

"Oh, honey. Stop it." She splashed at him again. "Come on, bring them over tomorrow."

"We've been together about four days, if you could call it that. Don't you think that meeting my friends is moving a little too fast?"

"Well, don't we kind of have to?" She cocked her head to the side. "You're leaving in two days. I might never see you again."

Jigen felt a pain in his chest at the thought of never seeing Raquel again. He sulked into bench, pulling his hat down to cover his eyes.

"Fine." He mumbled. "I'll bring them by tonight."

"Really?" She gasped. "You promise?"

"Yeah, I promise." He mumbled.

"Cheer up, darling!" She chirped, hoisting herself up to sit on the edge of the lake. "Don't be such a negative Nancy!"

"Good lord, how old are you?"

"A hundred."

Jigen jerked slightly and hoped she hadn't noticed. Raquel laughed.

"I'm only kidding, silly."

"How did you get here?" He asked. "Out of all the bodies of water in the world, why this lake?"

She shrugged, a cute sideways smile on her face.

"I don't know. I got bored day when I was younger and just swam all the way here."

"Was it difficult? I mean, didn't you ever get stuck in shallow water?"

"Once or twice." She shrugged again. "But people were always around to help me."

"People? You make it sound like you were surrounded by a large group."

"Oh, no, silly. It was always one or two people, they'd get in the water with me, steer me in the right direction then I'd be on my way."

"Hm."

Raquel turned attention to him and shook her head.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"That."

"What?"

"That! That thing you do when I say something and you just say 'Hm'," She picked up the comb Jigen had brought her earlier that morning and proceeded to comb her hair. "It makes me feel stupid."

"Sorry." He mumbled. He sighed. "I love you."

She stopped combing her hair and looked back at him again. A small smile crept onto her face.

"I love you too, Daisuke." She put the comb down and tilted her head up towards him, her eyes closed and lips puckered in a silly, child-like way.

Jigen chuckled and leaned down to kiss her. She put her arms around his neck, pulling her closer. He pulled away a moment later, smirking at her.

"Hey, hey, careful!" He chuckled. "My friends are starting to wonder why my clothes are getting so wet."

He took her by her wrists and unhooked her arms his neck. He kissed one hand then the other. Raquel wriggled one of her hands free and lifted his fedora up to get a good look at his eyes. They smiled at each other.

"Why do you hide behind your hat, honey? You have such beautiful eyes."

It was a question she asked him almost everyday. He would shrug and smiled then kiss her.

He kissed her forehead then stood. Raquel jumped back into the water and floated on her back, watching him.

"Remember, you promised to bring your friends by tonight."

"I will."

She blew a kiss at him and he caught it and shoved it into his pocket. He watched her swim away then dive underwater. He turned away from the lake and began his walk back to the hotel.

He opened the door to his room to see Lupin flying at him.

"Jigen, where have you been?"

"Out." He shrugged. "Why?"

"Well, I basically haven't seen you this whole vacation."

"Because you've been out getting drunk off your ass with Fujiko."

"Don't be a dick. Goemon told me you get up really early and leave and don't come until really. What're you doing?"

Jigen stared at Lupin. Lupin stared back, putting his hands on hips in a irritated way. Jigen sighed and shook his head.

"I'll tell you guys later, okay? There's something I have to show you."

"What is it?"

"It's . . . a surprise." He pushed past Lupin to make his way to the bathroom to take a shower.

"Hey, Jigen." Lupin said curiously. "Why are you all wet?"


	3. Chapter 3

So, chyeah, short but chyeah, whatever.:P I didn't know how to end this chapter, it's obvious. Soooooo . . . Enjoy!:D

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Jigen fidgeted nervously at the dinner table, not making any eye contact with anyone. He picked his glass of wine up and brought it to his lips then set it back down without taking a sip. Lupin, who sat across from Jigen, noticed. He quirked an eyebrow in curiosity as he lifted his own wine glass to his lips.

"Jigen? You all right over there?"

"Huh?"

Jigen looked up to see Goemon, Lupin and Fujiko staring at him with concerned looks on their faces. He blinked and picked his glass up again to take a big gulp of his wine. He faked a smile as he set the glass back down.

"I'm good, I'm fine." He leaned back into his seat, looking around. "Where's that damn waiter?"

"You seem nervous." Fujiko said, crossing her legs underneath the table.

"Thank you so much for pointing out the frickin' obvious." Jigen muttered.

"You don't have to be so rude! If you're going to act this way towards me, then I'm just going to leave."

She made a move as if she was about to leave but Jigen reached out to stop her.

"No, don't. You have to stay."

Before anyone could say anything to him the waiter arrived to take their orders. He smiled at them as he took their menus before walking away. Lupin turned back to Jigen, eyebrows furrowing.

"Okay, spill it. What's going on?"

"Nothing, I can't tell you guys. I have to show you."

"Oh, yuck." Fujiko rolled her eyes, picking up her wine glass.

"You have a one-track mind, don't you?" Jigen snapped.

"Nope, that's me." Lupin grinned. "So, what is it?"

"I'll show you after dinner." He said sternly before downing the rest of his wine. "Waiter! Can we get another bottle of wine over here?"

After dinner, Jigen walked ahead of them, his hands in his pockets as he kept a steady pace.

"Jigen, where the hell are we going?" Fujiko asked, her arms crossed over her chest in an attempt to keep herself warm. "Couldn't we have just taken the car?"

"No, there's nowhere to park."

"You're not gonna kill us, are you?" Lupin joked, chuckling. "That's your plan, right? Get us all drunk and full of food then take us to some random spot where no one will find us and kill us?"

"Lupin."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

Lupin snickered then put an arm around Fujiko, pulling her closer to him so he could keep her warm. She smiled up at him and leaned in closer. Goemon glanced at them, a disgusted look on his face as the two of them nuzzled each other lovingly. Jigen ignored them and kept walking until the park bench came into view. He stopped, pausing for a moment, then ran to the bench.

"Hey!" Lupin shouted, breaking away from Fujiko and running after Jigen. "What're you doing? Wait up!"

"Lupin!" Fujiko called, her voice high with exasperation.

Fujiko and Goemon chased after Lupin as he chased after Jigen, the four of them stopping at the edge of the lake, breathing heavily.

"What's your problem?" Lupin huffed as if he had just gotten done from an intense workout. "Running off like that?"

"This." Jigen grumbled.

"What?"

"This!" Jigen motioned to the lake. "This is what I have to show you."

"A disgusting old lake?" Fujiko grimaced. "Nice, Jigen. Really nice."

"You take us out into the freezing ass cold just to show us some dumb lake, Jigen? Man, are you crazy?" Lupin shivered.

"Would you two shut up?" Goemon snapped, giving the two of them a sideways look. "Obviously if Jigen brought us here, it has to be important."

Lupin and Fujiko stared at Goemon in disbelief for a second before blinking and turning their attention back to Jigen.

"All right, buddy." Lupin started. "Why'd you bring us here?"

"I . . . want you to meet someone." Jigen mumbled. "Someone important to me."

"What?" Fujiko gasped. "You have a girlfriend now, Jigen?"

"No way!" Lupin laughed. "Don't tell me – it's that short chubby bridesmaid from that wedding, right? Or that redhead waitress that works in the restaurant? The one with the big black girl butt?"

Fujiko glared at Lupin, her arms crossed over her chest again.

"Why are you looking at other women's butts, Lupin?"

"Oh, come on, baby!"

"No, _you_ come on!" Fujiko said, pushing him away from her when he tried to get close enough to put his arm around her. "Go find that waitress with the fat ass!"

"It's not a fat ass, it's just round and sticks out a little – kinda like yours."

"Oh, thanks a lot!"

"Enough." Jigen said gruffly, putting a cigarette to his lips and lighting it. "She's not the bridesmaid or the redhead waitress, she's someone completely different. And she really wants to meet you guys, this was _her_ idea."

"Okay, so where is she?" Lupin asked.

"She's . . . she's . . ." Jigen sighed. "In the lake."

"What?"

"Are you kidding me? You're joking, right?" Fujiko scoffed.

Jigen balled his hands up into tight, frustrated fists at his sides as he shook his head.

"No, she lives in the lake." He said through clenched teeth, knowing they weren't going to believe him. "She's a mermaid."

The three standing behind him were quiet. Jigen hunched his shoulders and lowered his head when Lupin let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. Lupin tossed his head back and laughed at the sky, holding his sides.

"You have got to be kidding me!" He choked out. "A mermaid! What did you drink?"

"Lupin, stop." Fujiko said softly, her eyes at Jigen's back. "You're being an asshole."

"Oh, come on, Fujiko. You, of all people, aren't gonna believe this, are you? Jigen in love with a _mermaid_!"

"Shut up, Lupin." She shot back.

"He's obviously fucking with us, you guys."

"Lupin, I'm dead serious." Jigen spun around to face them, flinging an arm out towards the lake. "She lives there and her name is Raquel. She and I have been talking the whole time we've been here. I swear. I'll show you."

He turned back to the lake and cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted.

"Hey! Raquel!"

He stood there for a moment, waiting for something to happen. All four of them did. Nothing happened; the lake didn't even make a ripple.

"Raquel! Come on!"

They waited a few more minutes, expecting something to happen but nothing did. Lupin let out another loud obnoxious laugh before taking Fujiko by the arm and turning her away from the lake.

"A mermaid!" He shook his head, laughing. "C'mon, Fujicakes, let's go."

Fujiko threw a strange look back at Jigen, as if she wasn't sure that she should leave the lake just yet, before turning away and letting Lupin guide back to the hotel. Goemon looked at Jigen, a mixture of concern and worry on his face. He sighed, shaking his head, then turned and followed Lupin and Fujiko.

Jigen watched them leave and didn't call after them. He felt embarrassed and angry. He turned back to the lake and gave it a good hard look. He took the cigarette from his lips then flicked it into the lake in anger.

"Fuck my life." He mumbled, yanking his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and putting a new cigarette to his lips. "That's it, I'm officially in-fucking-sane."

He lit the new cigarette as he turned to walk away.

The next day, Jigen avoided the lake completely and stayed in his room the entire time, trying to make conversation with Goemon. Goemon would either give him a small concerned smile and answer whatever Jigen's question was or not say anything at all and just nod.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" Jigen asked, sitting up on his bed with his back against the headboard.

"What?" Goemon turned to Jigen, a confused look on his face.

"You heard me. You think I'm insane."

"No, I don't."

"Yeah, you do. You think I got really drunk the other night and stumbled out towards the lake and imagined her. You think I'm so frickin' desperate that I made up a fucking mermaid."

"Jigen, don't get aggressive."

"I'm not aggressive!"

"Just calm down."

"I _am_ calm!" Jigen shouted. "Just answer me, you think I'm crazy."

Goemon sighed and closed his eyes. He was quiet and still for a long time until he finally opened his eyes and looked right at Jigen.

"I don't know what to think. I want believe you but it sound so farfetched and ridiculous that I just can't. I know you're not the type or person to make things up like this. Part of me thinks you're a crazy drunk."

"And what does your other half think?"

Goemon sighed and grabbed the remote from the bedside table in between their beds and turned the television on. Jigen stared, waiting for an answer. Goemon watched the television intently with his eyebrows furrowed. Jigen sighed then got up and grabbed his jacket and left the room, slamming the door as loud as he could behind him.

He pulled his hat to cover his eyes completely and kept his head down and his eyes on the ground as he walked briskly away from the hotel. He had made it halfway to the lake when he heard a woman laughing. He looked up to see a woman sitting at the edge of the lake and Raquel talking to her from the lake. Cautiously, he walked over to them. Raquel was the first one to notice him; she smiled and waved.

"Hey, doll!" She greeted cheerfully.

The woman turned around to look back at Jigen and he gasped as he recognized the woman.

"Fujiko?"

"Good afternoon, Jigen." Fujiko smiled at him.

"What're you doing here?"

"Just talking to Raquel." She gave him a half shrug and patted the spot next to her. "Come on, sit down."

"What happened to you last night?" Jigen asked Raquel, ignoring Fujiko's invitation for him to sit.

"I don't know. I was scared." She said softly. "I didn't think you'd bring them all at once."

"Why didn't you just tell me you wanted me to bring them one at a time?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, smiling up at him. "It must have slipped my mind."

"Slipped your mind? You made my friends think I was crazy!" Jigen didn't mean to raise his voice.

"Jigen, don't yell at her!" Fujiko piped up, slapping at his leg. "She was just scared, leave her alone."

Jigen was quiet for a moment. He sat down next to Fujiko, sitting cross-legged.

"Fujiko."

"Hm?"

"You see her, don't you?"

"Yes, Jigen. Yes, I do."

"You see Raquel?"

"Yes, Jigen."

"The mermaid?"

"Yes, Jigen, Raquel the mermaid."

"So, I'm not crazy?"

"No, Jigen, you aren't." Fujiko sighed and turned back to Raquel, smiling widely at her. "You are so beautiful! I absolutely adore mermaids."

"Why, thank you, Fujiko!" Raquel beamed. "You're beautiful, too!"

Fujiko kicked her shoes off and dipped them into the water. She shivered slightly, still smiling at Raquel.

"The water's so cold, how can you live in it?"

"You get used to it, sweetheart."

The women laughed as if they were old friends. Jigen looked from Fujiko to Raquel to Fujiko again.

"Fujiko, what're you doing here?" Jigen asked again.

"Well, I was curious. I wanted to see if she was real so I got up really early and came here. She was swimming around when I got here."

"So, last night, you . . . you believed me?"

"Yeah, of course." She laughed. "I'm not always a cold heartless bitch, Jigen."

"Don't forget vindictive and spiteful."

"Okay, that's enough."


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, so I changed the end of this chapter up a bit so it isn't all random and weird. Enjoy!:D

* * *

Lupin barged into Jigen and Goemon's room, a look of anger on his face. Jigen and Goemon jumped, startled as the door slammed against the wall. Lupin pointed an accusing finger at Jigen, coming towards him.

"What in the hell did you do to Fujiko?" He screamed.

Goemon looked from Jigen to Lupin, a thousand bad thoughts running through his mind. Jigen just shrugged and turned back to the television. Lupin jumped in front of the television, his hands on his hips.

"Don't just shrug, you asshole! What the hell did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything. Now, will you calm down and get outta the way of the TV?"

"No!" Lupin snapped the television off. "You acting bizarre is one thing, but you fucking with Fujiko's mind is where I draw the line!"

"I'm not fucking with her mind!" Jigen jumped up. "Are you even listening to what you're saying?"

"Are you on a bad acid trip, Jigen? First you think you see a mermaid and tell us that you're basically dating her and now, you're forcing Fujiko to believe your bullshit? Did you slip something into her drink or something? Did you _brainwash_ her?"

"Why would I? I wouldn't even come near Fujiko, if I had a choice!" Jigen yelled back. "She was just there at the lake this morning, she was talking to Raquel."

"I am so glad that we're leaving tomorrow." Lupin said softly, shaking his head. "The first thing I'm going to do when we leave is get you some help. Don't say anything to Fujiko the rest of the time we are here."

"Why don't you believe me, Lupin? Raquel is real!"

"Jigen, it really breaks my heart to see you like this." Lupin sighed and left the room.

"You stupid . . . asshole!" Jigen growled.

"Hey, where're you going?"

Jigen and Goemon heard Lupin ask someone outside their room.

"Out." Fujiko answered.

"Where?" The tone in Lupin's voice suddenly turned angry and accusatory.

"I'm just going out for a walk! What's your prob – Hey! Let go!"

Jigen and Goemon heard quick footsteps going into Lupin and Fujiko's room, the door slam then Lupin and Fujiko arguing. The two looked at each other, hearing things being slammed around and Fujiko yelling in the room next to them. They ran from the room and stopped short when the door to Lupin and Fujiko's room flew open and Fujiko's suitcase was tossed out, hitting the wall across the door. Another one of Fujiko's suitcases flew out followed by her purse and Lupin's suitcase.

"Lupin, stop it!" Fujiko shouted, grabbing at his arm as he stomped from the room. "You're going to make people call security!"

Lupin jerked his arm away from Fujiko and gave her a nasty look before turning to Jigen, giving him an even worse look.

"I have had it with all this bullshit!" Lupin exclaimed, his face becoming red. "Pack your shit, we're leaving now. If you're not down in the lobby in fifteen minutes, I'm leaving your ass here."

Lupin glared at Jigen for a moment then turned and grabbed the suitcases he had thrown against the wall and made his way to the elevator.

"But Lupin, I–"

Lupin stopped short and turned on his heel to look at Fujiko.

"You're not going to that god damned lake, Fujiko!" He looked at Jigen. "And neither are you! If anybody even brings that lake up, I'll kick you out of the car while it's moving."

The three watched him angrily make his way to the elevator, throwing the suitcases in when the doors opened.

"You have fifteen minutes, starting now." He called out before the doors closed.

Fujiko looked at Jigen, her hair flying. She looked distraught. Jigen avoided eye contact with her, lowering his fedora to cover his eyes.

"I was going to go to the lake." She said, her voice sounding watery as if she were about to start crying. "I was just . . ."

Jigen glanced at the broken object in Fujiko's hand. He couldn't tell what it was, just that it was broken. Fujiko's hands shook and her lip quivered then she turned and rushed into her hotel room, slamming the door behind her. Jigen and Goemon stood awkwardly in the hallway, pretending that they couldn't hear Fujiko crying in the room next to them.

"Jigen," Goemon said slowly. "What the hell is going?"

Jigen was silent, looking down at the floor.

"Jigen?"

He sighed and shook his head.

"I have no idea, Goemon." He mumbled finally. "C'mon, let's get our stuff."

"Stop crying." Lupin ordered Fujiko through clenched teeth as he tossed the suitcases into the back of the car. "Stop crying right now or I'll leave you here!"

"Good!" Fujiko snapped, startling Lupin. "I wish you would! Then I wouldn't have to deal with your controlling, annoying –"

Lupin straightened up and gave Fujiko a quick slap on the cheek. She gasped and put her hand to her face, her eyes wide. He grabbed her by her upper arms, pulling her closer to him and digging his fingers into her skin.

"I don't know what Jigen has done to you, Fujiko –" Lupin started, his voice low.

"He hasn't done anything!" Fujiko screeched, interrupting him.

"But I'm going to get you both the help that you need." He finished, ignoring her interjection. "I'm worried about you two – Jigen, especially. I think he needs some intense psychiatric help."

Fujiko scrunched her face up angrily and swatted Lupin's hands away.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" She snapped. "She's real!"

"_You_ don't know what _you're_ talking about!" He shouted back, grabbing his hair. "There are no such things as _mermaids_! Why don't you just open your eyes and grow the fuck up, Fujiko? Stop acting like a little girl stuck in Imagination Land and start acting like the backstabbing, conniving bitch you normally are!"

Fujiko silently seethed, glaring daggers at Lupin. He groaned then jerked his head to the car.

"Get in."

"No." She said defiantly.

"Fujiko." He said slowly through gritted teeth. "Get. In. The car."

She put her hands on her hips and quirked an eyebrow, her lips purse.

"Make me." She spat.

The two glared at each other. Keeping eye contact, Lupin took a step forward with compelled Fujiko to take a step back. Lupin bent down and wrapped his arms around the back of Fujiko's legs. She let out a startled yelp as he lifted her up, slinging her onto his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes. He carried her to the passenger side of the car and yanked the car door open the best that he could as she kicked at his front and punched at his back. He dropped her onto the passenger seat and, when she crossed her arms over her chest, buckled her.

"If you're going to act like a child," He muttered. "Then I'm gonna treat you like one."

Fujiko remained silent, her lips still pursed in a child-like pout.

"A grown woman acting like a damned four-year-old!" He shook his head, exasperated. "All because you think you saw a mermaid."

"I did see her, Lupin! Jigen didn't make her up!"

Lupin stood and slammed the car door on Fujiko's glaring face. He walked around the car and got into the driver's seat. The two waited in the car for Jigen and Goemon, stewing in an angry silence. A few minutes passed and Lupin glanced in the rearview mirror to see Goemon and Jigen walking towards them, Goemon carrying their suitcases. Lupin got out of the car just as Jigen was walking by quickly.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lupin hissed, grabbing his friend by the shoulder and spinning him around to face him. "Trying to say 'goodbye' to make-belief mermaid girlfriend?"

Jigen hated the taunting, malicious tone in Lupin's voice. He opened his palms them closed them tightly, balling them up into fists and resisted the urge to punch Lupin right in his smug little mouth.

"So, what if I am?" He shot back, smirking when he saw Lupin's eyes twitch.

"Didn't I say –"

"Yeah, we all heard what you said, you idiot, and I don't really care if you leave me here or not."

Lupin's eyes twitched again and he took a few quick steps closer to Jigen.

"Jigen, I don't want to leave you here." He mumbled. "You and Fujiko are really freakin' meet out, so why not be a pal and just get in the car?"

"No."

"What is with people telling me 'no'!" Lupin shouted, making Jigen flinch involuntarily. "Just get in the damn car and I won't knock you unconscious!"

"No, I'm going to the lake." Jigen turned on his heel and walked away.

"No, you're not!" Lupin shouted, running after Jigen and grabbing him by the shoulder again. "Get your ass in the car!"

Jigen reached inside his jacket, feeling for his gun, but stopped suddenly.

"Missing something?" Lupin shot at Jigen, dragging him back to the car.

"Damn it, Lupin, gimme back my damn gun!" Jigen shouted.

"Not until we're out of this town and away from that lake."

"Fuck this, you can keep it!" Jigen exclaimed, shrugging off his jacket. "I don't need it anymore!"

Lupin stopped and turned to see Jigen run off towards the lake. He threw his friend's jacket to the ground, kicking up dust.

"Fine!" He screamed to Jigen, his hands cupped around his mouth. "Stay here with your made-up mermaid! We don't need you anyway!"

He turned back to the car, an angry warning look on his face as he glared at Fujiko and Goemon sitting inside. He trudged back to the car and got into the driver's seat, slamming the car door harder and louder than necessary. He started the car and sped out of the hotel parking lot.

After a few excruciating minutes of silence, Fujiko reached over and turned the radio on. Lupin sat up straight as he recognized the song playing, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly in his hands.

"Fujiko," He said warningly. "Turn it off."

"No." She said defiantly. "I love this song."

"Fujiko. Turn it off _now!_"

"No!"

Lupin reached over and turned the radio off, almost breaking the knob as he did. The car became eerily silent once again. Fujiko crossed her arms over her chest and glared outside the window.

"I'd like to be, under the sea in a octopus' garden in the shade." Fujiko started to sing.

"Fujiko, stop it. Shut up." Lupin growled.

"We would be warm below the storm in our little hideaway beneath the waves!" She continued, her voice getting louder. "Resting our head on the sea bed in an octopus' garden near a cave."

"Fujiko, shut up!" He screamed at her, almost swerving off the road.

"We would sing and dance around! Because we know we can't be found! I'd like to be! Under the sea! In an octopus' garden in the shade!"

Lupin slammed on the brakes, making all three of them fly forward. Fujiko came close to hitting her head on the dashboard.

"All right!" Lupin raged, his face flushing red as he glowered at Fujiko. "That is enough! I don't care if that's your favorite song ever, Fujiko, I don't want to hear that shit right now!"

"Since _when_ did you start hating the Beatles?" Fujiko rolled her eyes, turning her gaze outside the window.

"Why, you little –"

Goemon waited patiently as the two in the front of the car screamed at each other. He blinked, seeing something in the corner of his eye, then turned to look out his window. His eyes widened at what he saw; Jigen sitting close to the edge of the lake talking to a woman in the water, flipping a dark purple fish fin. Yes, a fin.

"Look!" He said, jerking Lupin and Fujiko's attention away from each other.

It took a while for what was happening to register for Lupin and Fujiko.

"What is that crazy man doing?" Lupin exclaimed. "Who is that woman?"

"It's Raquel!" Fujiko beamed, unbuckling and opening her car door.

Lupin reached out and caught her wrist as she got out.

"Hold on! That's not Raquel, there is no Raquel!"

Fujiko yanked her wrist free and locked eyes with Lupin.

"Even when she's right in front of you, you refuse to believe she's real!"

Lupin stared at her as she slammed the door on his face. He watched her run around the back of the car and towards the lake, shouting happily and waving her arms in the air in an attempt to get the attention of the lovers at the lake. Lupin turned and looked back at Goemon to see the back car door open and the backseat empty. His head swiveled to look out his window, seeing Goemon follow Fujiko to the lake.

Lupin cautiously opened his car door and stepped out, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he jogged over to the lake just as Goemon sat down at the bench. Fujiko crouched down by the edge of the lake, smiling down at the woman in the water.

"What in the hell is wrong with you people?" Lupin shouted, flailing his arms in the air. "You all a bunch of lunatics!"

Raquel swam to the edge of the lake, reached out and grabbed Lupin by the ankle and pulled him into the freezing water, all the while laughing playfully.

"Come on, lighten up!" She exclaimed, smacking Lupin on the back when he resurfaced. "You're acting just like Jigen!"

"Hey!"

"I'm just joking, sweetheart!" Raquel chirped, swimming over to Jigen. She put her hands on the edge of the lake and raised herself high enough to kiss Jigen on the cheek.

Lupin blinked then stared at Raquel. He watched her flip her fin absent-mindedly. He reached out and grabbed a hold of the fin and squeezed, a look of child-like curiosity on his face. He tugged on it, blinking again.

"Hey, ow, cut it out!" Raquel said through a laugh.

"It's real, Lupin." Jigen said gruffly. "She's real."

Lupin let go of Raquel's fin then looked at her with wide eyes. He lifted his hands up out of the water, reaching out to her.

"Is all of her real?" He mumbled lecherously.

Goemon hit Lupin on the head with the handle of his katana. Fujiko shook her head, tsking. Jigen rolled his eyes and gave Raquel an apologetic look.


End file.
